Educational top



' Oct. 9, 1928. 1,687,239

' C. S. CROSS EDUCATIONAL TOP Filed 'July 2, 1927 Milt ill \\\\\\\\\\\w I Jar/es- Ckass,

; I Application file d J'uly' ft, 1927. Serial No. 203,014.

Patented Oct. 9, 19 2 8. i w i v UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE,

CHARLES S. CROSS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK; ALEXANDER B. IB OYER" ADMINISTRA- TOR OF SAID'CHARLES S. CROSS, DECEASED.

EDUCATIONAL TOP.

The present invention relatesto an educathe like, so that a child may carefully study tional top, and more particularly to a comthe configurations of the various continents, bined top and educational device. islands and the like, and vthus gain a direct An object of the present invention is to impression of therelation between the geo- 5 provide a simplified construction of top which graphical configurations of the earth by actuembodies a spherical or globe portion upon ally handling theobject which is of the gen- Which may be depicted the map of the earth, eral configuration of the earth itself; The and which may be supported in one position spherical body 10 is adapted. tobe disposed for a study of the earth, and which may be vertically with respect to the 'northand-south 10 inverted or placed in another position for use polar portions of the map depicted upon the as a top; Y 1 I sphere, and is mounted upon a vertical or ax- The invention aims to provide a combined ial spindle 11, which passes through the device of this character which utilizes but a sphere 10 from top tobottom and coincides single spindle or shaft for supporting a balwith the polar axis upon which the earth re 1 ance wheel, a base member upon which the volves. Y p i I device may rest for acareful study or inspec- The spindle 11'is reduced near its oppotion of the map, and which device is also usesite ends and beveled to provide bearing ful as a means for initiating the spinning of shoulders 12 and 13 adapted to enga e the inthe fly Wheel, so that the device may be spun ner wall of the sphere 10 respective y at the 2 as a top without any additional appurtebottom. and top portions thereof for mainnances or parts, the spindle being useful as a taming the sphere 10 from shifting longitudisupport for the spherical body in either of its nally upon the spindlellr The upper end of positions. V the spindle 11 projectsa short distance be- 7 lVith the foregoing and other objects in yondthe shoulder 13 and may berounded or view, the inventionwill bevmore fully depointed to provide a bearing tip 14 upon scribed hereinafter, and will bemore partic-' which the spindle may rest when the device is ularly pointed out in the claims appended used as a top, as shown in Figure 3. The h t 7 i 1 other end of the spindle 11, beyond the shoul- In the drawings, wherein like symbols Ieder 12, :is extended a short distance and pro- 30 fer to like or corresponding parts throughvided with a preferably knurled head 15, of out the several views, 7 suitable size to bind and bight into the end Figure 1 is a front elevation of the educa- Of a spool 16 or the like which forms the tional top supported on itsbase for studying base and spinning member of the toy. The the-map depicted on the body of the top." spool 16 has a flanged head at opposite ends 35 Figure 2 isa horizontal section taken on the with an intermediate drum portion upon line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the balance whichis adapted to be Wounda cord 17 or the Wheel within the'iniddle portion of the body. 1 like which is used for turning spool 16b} Figure 3 is a vertical section taken through 1 drawing the cord 17 in the; usual manner of the top on the line 83 of Figure 1 in inspinning tops, while the sphere 10 is held in verted position for spinning, and illustrating the hand. The outer-end of the spool or base r the manner in which the base member may be member 16 is flat, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and utilized for-initiating the spinning of the 4:, and servesto support the toy in upright top, and position upon a flat surface, such as shown in Figure l isa fragmentary sectional view Figure 1. The sphere, 10 when supported 45 through the base end of the top, showing a in upright position. may be turned at conmodified form of spindle mounting. venience in either direction,'so that a careful 1 Referring to the drawing 10 designates the inspection may be made of the map and the body of the topwhich is preferably of spheridevicethus used as an educational device or calcontour, and which is hollow, the same for the purposes of obtaining geographical 50 being preferably constructed of sheet metal information, I v

and, which for convenience-in manufacture In order to stabilize the sphere 10 in its and assembly'may be made in upper and low- 7 upright position they spindle 11 is provided er halves as clearly shown in Figures 1 and with a Weight or fly wheel 18, which is fixed 3. The spherical body 10 has-depicted upon -u on the spindle 11 to turn therewith, and

as its exterior surface ,a map'of the world, 'or w ichis of suitable thickness and diameter V to serve its purpose. As shown, the fly wheel 18 is of suiiicient diameter to closely approach the inner wall of the sphere 10 at the horizontal greatcircle thereof, or atthe line of meeting between'the sphere sections which corresponds substantially to the equatorial line of the map depicted on the sphere. This fly wheel 18 thus firmly seats the base member 16 upon the flat supporting surface, so that the sphere 10 is held upright and can only be upset by an abnormal pressure against the side of the sphere. i The fly wheel 18 is also utilized as a gyroscope or balance wheel: for spinning the top when the latter is inverted, as shown in Figure 3, so as to support the spindle 11in substantially upright'position while the latter is turning-at a high rate of speed. While in this position the sphere 10 supported upon the shoulder 14 has turned at a relatively slow speed as it'is driven or rotated only b virtue of the frictional contact between the shoulder 12 and the upper end of the sphere 1-0. The fly wheel 18 may be rovided with one or more openings 19 for tie purpose of admitting free passage of air through the y'whee'l and also for counterbalancing the fly wheel, if desired.

In the modified construction shown in Figure 4:, the axial spindle '20 is provided near its base end with'a reduced pin portion 21 which is provided by forming a shoulder 22 near the base end of the spindle in spaced relation to the adjacent wall of the sphere 10 to accommodate a ball or other bearing member 23 between the shoulder 22 and the adjacent endof the sphere 10. The ball 23 is provided diametrically with an opening adapted to freely receive the pin 21 therethrough so that the ball 23 mayfreely turn, on the pin and provide a ball bearingmounting for the sphere 10 when the latter is inverted and used as a top. In this instance, the sphere 10 is turned at a very low rate of speed so that the map upon the exterior surface of the sphere, although inverted may be readily examine The base memberlfi thus not only serves as a support for the sphere 10 for educational purpose, but also serves as a means about which the cord 17 maybe wound for spinning the device when it is to be used as a toy or top. The fly wheel 18 serves not only in capacity of holding the sphere in upright position when the base member is seated upon a fiat surface, but also serves as a gyroscope or balance wheel for maintaining the spindle 11 in spinning condition for a rela "tively'long time after the cord has been' drawn ofi' from the base member 16, and also for maintaining the spindle 11 in substantially upright action.

I haveillustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of my position during the spinning invention, but it is obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope opposed portionsof. the body, the bearing portion at one endof the spindle adapted to serve as a tip for supporting the body in one position when used as a top, a base member mounted on the other bearing portion of the spindle exteriorly of the body, for supporting the latter in'upright position upon a flat surface, said base member having a drum' por.

tion thereon adapted to receive a spinning cord for initiating the rotation of the spindle, and a balance wheel mounted within the body on the spindle for balancing the spindle in uprightposition when raised on'thelbase member and when spinning on said tip.

2. A toy top comprising a hollow spherical body having a map of the world depicted upon its exterior surface, a spindle arranged diametrically through the body with respect to the north and south poles depicted thereon, said spindle having hearing at opposite ends in the pole portions of the body and (in tending exteriorly of the body for maintaining the spindle therein, one'end of said spindle serving as a tip for supporting thebody in inverted position,a base member mounted on the other exterior end of the spindle for supporting the body in upright position upon a flat surface, and permitting rotation of the body on the spindle'for examining the map depicted thereon, said base memberhaving a drum portion thereon adapted to receive a spinning cord for initiating the turning of is inverted to rest on said tip,and a balance wheel carried upon the spindle within the body to turn with the spindle for maintaining the latter in substantially vertical position when the body is in upright and in inverted positions. I I

3. A toy top comprising a hollow spherical body having a map of the world depicted upon the exterior surface ofthe'body,a spin dle arranged. vertically through the body with respect to the pole portions thereof and having reduced portions extending through the body to provide bearings for supporting the body on the spindle, a base member carried upon one end of the spindle exterior of the body for seating upon a fiat surface to support the body in. upright position andadapted to be spun for spinning the spindle, the other endof said spindle providing a tip for supporting the body in inverted position when the spindle is spun, and a balance wheel fixed upon the spindle and disposed within the body for maintainthe spindle to spin the same when the body ing the spindle in vertical position when the body is in either upright or inverted positions.

4. A toy top comprising a hollow spherical body, a map depicted on the outer surface of said body, a spindle arranged vertically in the body and projecting at opposite ends .therebeyond, a base member mounted on the lower end of the spindle for supporting the latter in upright position upon a flat bearing surface, said base member adapted to be spun for rotatingthe spindle and the upper end of said spindle providing a tip for supporting the spindle when inverted, a balance wheel mounted upon the spindle within the body for maintaining the spindle upright in either position, and a bearingmember mounted for rotation on the lower end of the spindle between the latter and the lower wall of the body to provide a bearing, for supporting the body upon the spindle when the latter is inverted. V

5. A toy-top comprising a hollow spherical body, a map depicted on the outer surface of said body, a spindle arranged diametrically through the body and projecting at its ends beyond the same, one end of the spindle providing a tip for supporting the body when used as a top, the other end of said spindle spindle within the body for maintaining the latter upright in either position of the spindle. y

I In testimony that he claims the foregoing as his invention, he has signed his name hereto.

CHARLES s. CROSS. 

